Ezekiel 13:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Previously, the divine communication was aimed at the prophets, who applied a mixture of clay to the wall, devoid of any straw, rendering it incapable of providing any support to the structure. Now, it is instructed to redirect its focus, as translated by the LXX, towards the prophetesses among the people. Just as false prophets, inspired by the spirit of evil, arose to challenge God’s commandments, similarly, in the context of prophetesses, figures like Deborah (Judg. 4:4) and Huldah (2 Chron. 34:22), as well as the four daughters of Philip the evangelist mentioned in Acts (Acts 21:9), were also countered by others influenced by demonic spirits. Notable among these were Prisca and Maximilla, who undermined faith in the Gospel through their deceptive prophecies.

Simmachus provided a clearer translation, stating: Woe to those who sew cushions beneath every arm and create pillows for the heads of men of all ages, seeking to ensnare souls. However, God conveyed these words as a means of explanation to signify comforting and reassuring speeches; for cushions and pillows offer relief and solace to the parts of the body they support, and likewise, deceptive words, though false, can momentarily delight the ears, leading to various temptations within the souls. Thus, false prophetesses, proclaiming seemingly favorable messages, brought harm to the people and enriched themselves. God illuminated this with the statement, ‘The souls have corrupted my people, and the souls have been satisfied; by leading the people into corruption and turning them away from God, they drew attention to themselves.